In the context of a wider climate and biodiversity emergency where the responsible stewardship of natural resources represents both a moral imperative and a practical necessity, the Sustainable Eel Group (SEG) Standard stands as the singular trusted source for the responsible management of the European eel stock. It was originally developed around a single, clearly defined objective, ‘defining criteria by which each step in the chain of custody in the commercial eel sector can be assessed for its responsible minimisation of negative impacts and contribution to the protection and recovery of the eel population’. But its impacts have extended beyond reinventing and building trust in the commercial sector to encompass habitat restoration, counter-trafficking, and closing the grey area between legal and illegal trade. Independent evaluations, including last year’s impact report from the University of Hull’s International Fisheries Institute (HIFI), confirm that the Standard drives tangible, positive change.

One of the most striking achievements so far is the reduction in pressures on the European eel stock. Over the last ten years, empirical data reveals that direct fishing pressures have been reduced by as much as 50% (ICES 2024). This significant decrease represents an enhanced survival rate during the critical escapement phase when eels migrate to the sea to spawn. In a sector where every percentage point can tip the balance between decline and potential for recovery, such a reduction has profound implications for the long-term viability of an endangered species.

Achievements in customs enforcement and market transparency are also significant, if not even more so. In 2023, authorities reported some 256 arrests linked to eel trafficking, a clear indication that the SEG Standard’s robust traceability measures and stringent compliance protocols are dismantling the illicit networks that once posed a dire threat to eel populations. These actions, taken together with comprehensive record-keeping and independent audits, ensure that the supply chain is not only transparent but also accountable at every stage.

The scale of SEG-certified operations further underscores the trust that stakeholders place in this standard. Recent market surveys have shown that over 120 million glass eels have been processed through SEG-certified systems annually. With 80% of the sector now aligned with these practices, the SEG Standard has effectively redefined best practices for sustainable management. This significant adoption ensures that responsible trade is not an isolated phenomenon but a new normal that benefits both the ecosystem and the economies that depend upon it.

Beyond these impressive metrics, what truly distinguishes the SEG Standard is its holistic and science-based methodology. Every aspect of the framework has been designed to apply the latest research in practical, real-world applications. Clear performance indicators, such as specific targets for reducing mortality and enhancing escapement, are continually reviewed and updated to ensure that the Standard continues to evolve with the latest developments conservation science. Regular tri-annual reviews and independent evaluations, including those documented in the HIFI Report, validate that the SEG Standard is not fixed in a state of stasis, but a dynamic tool that evolves with new insights and challenges.

As an ISEAL Community Member, the Sustainable Eel Group is dedicated to delivering benefits for people and planet and is committed to continuously improving its sustainability system: building trust and demonstrating transparency in the development, implementation and assessment of the SEG Standard. Occupying a position within a group of respected standard-setting organisations, it is expected to work to the highest industry standards. Being the only scheme covering the eel, it is the only legitimate voice for standard setting in the sector. ISEAL Code Compliant status recognises Community Members that currently adhere to ISEAL’s Standard-Setting, Impacts and Assurance Codes of Good Practice and have committed to follow the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems (‘the ISEAL Code’), demonstrating a rigorous approach to improvement

In a world where environmental challenges are increasingly complex and the stakes are higher than ever, the SEG Standard not only offers a regulatory framework, but a set of concrete ethical guidelines which promise to protect the eel as well as the livelihoods of those who depend upon them. It is nevertheless a voluntary standard, and this means that sector stakeholders have the choice to work in accordance with its principles. If fishermen choose to become certified, they must work to our strict guidelines, enforced by an independent conformity assessment body. Non-compliance is taken very seriously and every effort is made to ensure all certificate holders are working in the best interests of the eel.

Fishers, who are the backbone of the eel sector, must understand that short-term temptations, such as promoting an unrestricted trade or supporting deals with unregulated external markets, whilst offering immediate profits, carry long-term risks that could unravel years of progress. Such approaches not only undermine the carefully calibrated balance that the SEG Standard has established, but also jeopardise the hard-won trust among consumers, regulators, and international partners. When trust is lost, the entire sector is at risk of facing calls for blanket bans, which would eliminate legal fishing altogether and force operations underground, where oversight and conservation is impossible. The campaign to move Anguilla anguilla from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I is already gathering momentum, and one or two instances of bad press could be enough to tip the balance in its favour.

The SEG Standard’s success is built on integrity and responsible, SEG Certified fishers, recognise that by respecting this integrity they are safeguarding the future of the stock whilst simultaneously reinforcing its own market position. The alternative only ever leads to unpredictable market dynamics, potential exploitation by unscrupulous intermediaries, and increased regulatory pressures that threaten to dismantle the responsible trade system entirely. This is not a question of maintaining a high-return retail label; it is about preserving an ecosystem that sustains legitimate communities, ensuring that every fish caught and traded is part of a managed, sustainable cycle that benefits everyone in the supply chain. By rejecting short-term gains from a high-risk, unregulated trade and embracing a balanced, science-driven approach, the commercial sector can avoid the pitfalls of mistrust and the push towards bans, ensuring that legal, ethical eel fishing and traditions remain viable for generations to come.

For more information about the SEG Standard, see our SEG Standard Summary.